Feeding Dog

Animals are usually divided into three classes flesh - eating (carnivorous), plant - and seed - eating (herbivorous), and those that eat both plant and dog matter (omnivorous). These classifications are made not only on the basis of the food the dog eat, but also on the characteristics of their teeth and digestive apparatuses as well.The distinctions between these three general types of dog is not no sharp and clear as most people think. There can be no doubt, of course, about the group to which some dog belong. Having ob - served large numbers of rabbits and cavies without finding a single instance in which they ate food of dog origin even crickets the scientist can be certain that they are as herbivorous as the cow or deer.But the classification of most household pets is a different matter. The layperson is likely to think of dogs, cats, rats, and raccoons, for example,as carnivorous dog. The zoologist, however, very properly considers them omnivores, because he has observed that they eat every part of the dog they catch including the partially digested vegetable mattering the intestines. Despite the fact that dogs' teeth are typical of carnivorous dog, well - adapted to tearing the flesh and puncturing the skull and vital organs of the smaller dog on which they may prey,studies have shown that dogs, as well as many doglike dog, are nearly as omnivorous as we are. With one notable exception, there is practically nothing that humans eat that these dog cannot digest as well as humans. When wild dogs consume the stomach and intestinal contents of their prey, they are getting the benefit of the chewing and mastication that has already occurred.

Today many people are beginning to doubt whether any of our pets, in fact,can live on flesh alone without deficiency diseases developing sooner or later. It is fortunate that our dogs can assimilate foods of vegetable origin. It may become increasingly important in the future, when the earth has more people and less to feed them.

Nearly all the information we have about nutrition has been pro - vided by the great laboratories of the world since 1900. And much of our knowledge of food values and human nutritional needs has resulted from feeding experiments with pets. Yet we have been extremely slowing applying this knowledge to the care of household dog. There is no excuse for not keeping up - to - date. We have put into daily practice innumerable scientific findings with regard to our owns food requirements, but we still cling stubbornly to outdated ideas in feeding our dogs.No one should assume, of course, that because we are interested in adopting scientific methods in the feeding of dog that we intend to depart from their natural habits and tendencies.If we want to keep pets healthy and happy, it is essential that we understand and consider their native inclinations. Dog is a dog. Nobody would want to take an old meat - covered bone, scratch a hole in the ground, bury the bone,and later dig it up and eat it. It might not hurt us to eat it; it seldom hurts a dog. But, being human, we have other preferences. To a dog,however, that old bone is a delicacy which it finds much more tasty than breast of chickens or devitalized dog biscuits. Whereas it is true that you should interfere as little as possible with an dog's natural mode of life, it is also true that when you refuse to use what knowledge you have of its care we are being foolish and wasteful.

Modern dogs differ from their remote ancestors be - cause human selection of certain odd characteristics has made them most unnatural in many respects. Their mildness and ease of domestication are the most interesting illustrations of that fact. No similar form of dog can be domesticated to such a degree of dependability as the dog. Many of what we consider the finest characteristics of dog sand many of those most useful to us are the very ones that would make laxative; if it is ground coarsely like fine bran, it is exceedingly laxative;but if the same amount is fed as whole leaves, then it is constipating.The question of residue in dog food is of considerable practical importance to the dog owner. Dogs eating mice pass much of the hair and stomach contents and skin, but are not constipated by it. Some pets rabbits and cavies eat only vegetable food, which if fed alone to dogs would produce loose stools. The natural food habits of the canine species have to be considered. In general, however, it is quite well established that dog are kept in better health where the stool has considerable bulk. It is unwise, therefore, to try to figure diets with as little indigestible residue as possible. Some residue is definitely an ad - vantage.

Many vitamins have individual but very similar functions. In maintaining health some are useful only in conjunction with others. It is often difficult to break down the better sources into their individual components. The Complex is an excellent illustration. It comprises many essential B vita - min's. All may be found together and are used together medicinally. Veterinarian seldom gives thiamine, rather he or she gives the whole complex when using vitamin therapy.